The 3rd Annual Yale Food Systems Symposium will be held this October 30-31 and the theme for this year’s conference is “New Alliances That Shape a Food Movement.” The keynote speaker will be Olivier De Schutter, former UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food, and the keynote panel will include Robert Lustig, Dorceta Taylor, and Ricardo Salvador.

People in food movements around the world envision a future where the world’s food systems restore degraded ecosystems, mitigate and adapt to climate change, improve community health, and facilitate more equitable economic exchange. To realize this ambitious vision this world must encourage and support novel, collaborative, and holistic problem-solving approaches. This symposium want to bring a diverse group of people and approaches together at this Food Systems Symposium such as those in the public health community who seek to increase access to fresh vegetables in urban centers; land conservationists who wish to preserve farmland; legal scholars who identify avenues of policy change; and immigration reformers who advocate for farm workers.

This year’s conference seeks to foster new alliances that will encourage crosscutting conversations, innovative thinking, and actionable strategies. Eaters across the nation struggle to find wholesome food choices that nourish their bodies without endangering important environmental and social resources. A true coalition will bring expertise across disciplines to creatively solve the otherwise intractable problems of food security and access, social justice, public health, environmental stewardship, and safety. These alliances and the common goal of an improved food system will serve as the guiding focus for the 2015 Yale Food Systems Symposium.